


Zarie Reimagined

by praisemadamespellman



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018) RPF
Genre: F/F, Fluff, LGBTQ Character of Color, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Themes, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:48:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28532424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/praisemadamespellman/pseuds/praisemadamespellman
Summary: These witches are going to get the relationship they deserve and Mambo Marie will NOT be turned into a man in the process.
Relationships: Marie LaFleur (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) & Zelda Spellman, Marie LaFleur (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)/Zelda Spellman, Marie LaFleur/Zelda Spellman
Comments: 35
Kudos: 108





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We were all heartbroken at how Zarie ended, I hope this helps. 
> 
> That said - Marie will still leave. I wanted to keep this story as close to the original storyline as possible to show that the same story could have been told without so much trauma and harm. For me, the issue wasn't that Marie had to leave, it was that her entire existence had been a lie and that she had deceived Zelda into a relationship with Baron Samedi - a man - but allowed Zelda to believe she was in a relationship with a woman. To me, that was unnecessarily cruel and unforgiveable. 
> 
> I'm sure many writers will keep Zarie together but for me, the important point of this story is that Zelda still feels cared for and isn't betrayed to such a severe extent. 
> 
> Please leave a comment if you want more!

_You old crone…_

Zelda Spellman felt the breath catch in her throat as she looked at Mambo Marie’s warm, teasing smile, the echo of their glasses meeting ringing gently in her ears. As she raised the glass to her lips, her eyes fell to stare into nothingness as she felt the familiar bubbling of anxiety rise in her chest; swallowing it along with a mouthful of bourbon, the High Priestess buried those uncertainties and rose to sit gracefully on her desk beside Marie. 

“Do you really think I’m a crone?” She returned Marie’s smile with raised brows, almost daring her lover to goad her further.

Marie’s brilliant smile disappeared behind Zelda’s hand as she brought it up to kiss softly, “Would I do this…if I thought...” another soft kiss was placed on the curve of the redhead’s neck as Mambo Marie brushed her hair away from it, “...you were a crone?” 

Marie’s soft words soothed Zelda’s worries and she leaned into the sweet kiss. Closing her eyes, Zelda released the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding and in that kiss, her fears melted away. In the short time that Mambo Michele Marie LeFleur had been at the Academy of Unseen Arts, she had become invaluable to Zelda; they had spent long nights debating over the academy’s curriculum, discussing their varying spiritual and cultural backgrounds, and exploring the many heights they were capable of taking each other too. Even still, Zelda hesitated to lean into the relationship, always on edge and suspicious of Marie’s intentions. But in those stolen moments, when the softness of their lips met, Zelda allowed herself to be free from worry and be fully present in that moment, as fleeting as it might be. 

As the kiss broke, Zelda smiled into her bourbon and got lost in the sparkle in those shining dark eyes; “No, I don’t suppose you would.” 

Marie reached out and placed a hand on Zelda’s thigh, squeezing lightly, “High Priestess of the Order of Hecate and Directrix of the Academy of Unseen Arts….bien sur… these are monumental achievements! How would you like to celebrate, cherie?” 

Zelda raised a brow, taken aback by Marie’s enthusiasm, she was not used to anyone else wanting to celebrate her accomplishments. It was refreshing to have someone acknowledge that all of her hard work had successfully culminated in this moment in her life where she was in charge of her own coven’s spiritual and academic pursuits. Without Marie, her success would have quietly evolved into the norm without any fanfare or gracious moments of appreciation.

“I have too much work tonight but perhaps we could have a drink at Dorian’s tomorrow? I’ll take the night off and we can spend time...just the two of us.” Zelda idly traced patterns across the hand on her thigh, her stomach fluttering at the thought of having Marie’s undivided attention with no family and no coven to interrupt them. 

Mambo Marie stood, abandoning her bourbon on the desk in favour of sinking one hand into Zelda’s thick mane at the nape of her neck and the other hand around her waist, pulling her up from the desk and guiding the witch’s mouth back to hers. This time it was the kiss that took Zelda’s breath away and she sank into it, throwing one arm around Marie’s neck and the other to press her glass against the small of the voodoo Priestess’ back, the ice rattling softly in protest. With darting tongues, the kiss deepened and Zelda released a soft moan, meeting Marie’s fervour until the moment she was released.

“I will look forward to tomorrow then, ma cherie.” The pair disentangled themselves and with a wink, Mambo Marie left the Directrix’s office and shut the door behind her.

The redheaded witch slowly sank back into her chair, blinking and looking from her bourbon to the dark purple lipstick stained bourbon left behind. Her mind racing as quickly as her heart was beating, Zelda Spellman reflected on how much time had passed since she’d actually felt anything for anyone else. Her last relationship, with Faustus Blackwood, had been entirely arranged with the intention that it would be a gateway to power. A nagging thought in the back of her mind tried to convince her that Mambo Marie’s affections were being given for the same reasons - power. 

“But she is powerful in her own right and she has no interest in becoming a significant member of the Order of Hecate…” Zelda muttered softly as if speaking directly to her intrusive thoughts. With a sigh, Zelda picked up a pile of papers and began to sort through them; focusing on her work, something she could control, would distract her from her feelings, which were entirely out of her control.

### 

“Zelds? I made you a bit of dindins…” Hilda Spellman toddled into her sister’s office with a tray in hand. 

Zelda looked up from her papers, realizing how late it had gotten, “Oh. You’re a goddess sent sister! Who knew reforming a curriculum would yield so much paperwork?”

“I...um...did make a bit extra, you know, in case Mambo was around.” Hilda’s eyes scanned the office. “...is she around?”

Without moving her head, Zelda’s eyes lifted to meet Hilda’s incredulously before she straightened up with a tilt of her head, “Is there something you want to ask me sister?”

“Not at all, nothing...you have been spending quite a few nights at the Academy…” Hilda looked expectantly at Zelda, her eyes begging Zelda to be straightforward with her sister about her relationship with Marie. 

Zelda was explaining how much work there was when a student ran into the office, announcing the arrival of The Darkness, “See sister? They’d be lost without me.” With a proud grin, Zelda excused herself and followed the student out. 

A gas masked miner met Zelda in the bed chamber of her students, its hollow voice echoed in response to Zelda’s demands to remove itself; “You project strength so no one sees how weak you truly are. Marie is only using you to get close to power. Marie isn’t attracted to you, she doesn’t even like you, no one likes you, let alone loves you, who would love you? You are a crone, you’ll always be a withered crone, you’ll never have a child. Sabrina doesn’t think of you as a mother, Sabrina hates you.”

Zelda watched as her outstretched hands began to shake as the miner exposed her deepest darkest fears. Squeezing her eyes shut tight, her lips pursed, she whispered, “No...stop it. Stop it, please.” The words continued to wash over her, drowning her in the reality of their cruelty. Shaking her head, her eyes full of unshed tears, she raised her voice and cried out, “STOP!”

“That’s enough!” Hilda appeared carrying a lit candelabra, forcing the miner to stop in his tracks; “Why is it that bullies always wear masks?” She reached out to grasp the gas mask and slowly pull it from the miner’s face. As it fell away, the miner sank into itself, dissolving into a pile of crumpled clothes as blackness faded into the air around it. 

Zelda stared at the pile on the ground, taking deep breaths through her nose in hopes that no one could see how hard her heart was hammering in her chest. Looking back at Hilda asking her if she was all right, she frowned, “I’m not sure…” Stunned, Zelda turned away from the audience who had just witnessed her humiliation and walked out of the room.

### 

On her way to her chambers, Zelda passed Mambo Marie’s closed doors and paused, with her hand on the doorknob she considered how much easier it would be to just go back to her room and deal with what had happened alone. Zelda was more familiar with loneliness, it comforted her like a worn blanket but ever since meeting Marie, that blanket had become full of holes and she ached for the Vodouisant’s warmth instead. By entering Marie’s room now, she would be making a choice that went against her impulses but after over a hundred years of this life, Zelda was tired of making the same choices. She felt inspired at the idea that she could change and her life could be different. The redheaded witch swallowed the emotions that threatened to choke her, knocked quietly and entered Mambo Marie’s room. 

“Bonsoir cherie! I thought we weren’t meeting until tomorro-” Marie fell silent as she registered the tears on Zelda’s cheeks. “Mon Dieu, what is it?” The voodoo Priestess rushed to her lover and grabbed her hand in both of hers.

Blinking and wiping quickly at her cheeks, Zelda explained what had happened in the coven’s bedchambers, keeping herself at a distance from the woman who held her hand and listened. The voice of the Darkness echoed in her mind as Zelda shuddered and met Marie’s concerned gaze and her face crumpled; “I need to know why you’re here, Marie.” 

Mambo Marie pulled Zelda deeper into the room and guided her to a set of chairs in front of a roaring fire. As Zelda sat, she watched Marie pull an ottoman closer and sat so that she could remain as close to the High Priestess as possible, holding both of her hands. Clearing her throat, Marie’s gaze never wavered from Zelda’s as she began to explain, “It is true that I am not what I seem. With the Darkness upon us, we will begin to see the other Eldritch Terrors and so the time has come that my raison d’etre will be revealed.”

Frowning, Zelda was grateful for the support of the chair she sat in as her knees felt weak and she was annoyed to find her hands shaking, “Please, do not tell me you are an Eldritch Terror.”

Marie’s laugh was a genuine delight as she reached up and smoothed the creases in Zelda’s furrowed brow, “Non cherie, I am here to fight them. I am not as I appear, Mambo Michele Marie LeFleur is not my true name.”

Zelda yanked her hands back from Marie’s grasp and pushed herself as far away from the witch as she could within her seat, “Who or what are you then exactly?”

Marie’s hands settled in her lap as she leaned back, respecting that Zelda would need a moment to process this information, “I am Maman Brigitte, a powerful Asian lao, protectress of women, healer, divine judge, bringer of death, and the wife of Baron Samedi, father of the Gede lao. I was called to Greendale to protect this coven of women, to watch over you when you were in the In Between, and to guide the Returned back to the Underworld when they arrive here.” 

Zelda felt her face contort as she struggled to understand what she was hearing, “All this time.”

“Yes...but Zelda, I did not account for you.” Marie leaned forward again and offered her hands, palms upturned. “Like the dice that call me back to Earth, you have shaken me and I am untethered. Not one of this Earth, I grieve that I will have to leave you behind when the time comes.” 

Zelda was surprised to see Marie’s eyes moisten and she lowered her hands into the upturned palms, the witches’ fingers entangling tightly as Mambo continued to speak. “The Darkness lied to you Zelda Spellman. Bien sur I am very attracted to you, we would not be where we are now if I wasn’t, and if I knew I could love, you are more than worthy of it.” 

“What of Baron Samedi?” Zelda’s voice cracked and she grimaced at the show of weakness. 

“Much like witches, we are bound together by eternal pouvoir, cherie, but we do not sanction each other’s actions. I am as free as is he to weave in and out of this realm. I am free to take part in any carnal pleasures that come my way. But you...well….I have never been here before, mon amour.” 

Zelda had to admit, it wasn’t for love that had inspired her to welcome Mambo Marie into the coven with a kiss, she too was a passionate witch but as time had passed, she had begun to care for Marie and hope that perhaps the Vodouisant felt the same. This new information threatened to toss her right back into the belief that there was no one she could trust but stepping back, she made a choice to believe differently; the emotions they felt for each other were genuine, even if the situation was less than ideal. Even still, hundreds of years of solitude would not be overturned in a matter of weeks and Zelda pried her hands free, getting to her feet.

Marie rose quickly and started to speak before Zelda could say anything, “I am sorry to have deceived you Zelda, it was not my intention to cause you any harm. You deserve so much more than I have - I cannot offer you more than this moment for that is all I have. When the Returned arrive, I will be called to guide them back to the Underworld and I will have to stay with them. I will be at Dorian’s tomorrow waiting for you, as planned, but I will understand if you choose not to join me.” 

Unable to speak, Zelda nodded and moved around Mambo Marie to the door, shoving her fist into her mouth to silence the sob that threatened to break free. In the comfort and privacy of her own room, the High Priestess allowed the flood of emotions to overtake her as she covered her face and cried.

### To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Darkness threw shadows across the Directrix’s office, signaling that the day was firmly tucked away as the moon came out to play. Zelda glanced at the time and felt her stomach flip flop, she had ten minutes to decide if she was going to meet Mambo Marie at Dorian’s Grey Room. She’d spent a sleepless night thinking about what Marie had revealed and was still unsure of her next move. 

Not a stranger to casual trysts, her past littered with lovers and the occasional sex demon, the redheaded witch was more than capable of separating her feelings from her carnal pursuits. She understood the reason behind Marie’s interest and why the voodoo Priestess had returned her kiss in the first place, it had never been for love and no promises had ever been made. Further still, Maman Brigitte was a descendent of the triple Goddess, which explained why Hecate brought her to Greendale. If it weren’t for Marie, Zelda might have perished in the In Between, but with Marie’s protection Zelda found her way back to the Living. 

Zelda recognized that her hesitation at meeting Marie that evening was because she’d developed feelings for the Vodouisant and having been deceived stung her pride, reinforcing that she couldn’t trust those around her to take care of her. Last night Zelda had been prepared to make different choices, to break centuries old patterns, and to imagine something better for herself. Even if Mambo Marie...Maman Brigitte… was a temporary window from which to look through towards another future, she was an opportunity at change. A baby step. 

Taking a deep breath, Zelda put down her pen and stood, “Lacunae magicae!”

Dorian’s Grey Room formed around her as Zelda transported to it and she paused in front of a full length mirror, taking in her appearance. Smoothing out invisible wrinkles in her navy dress, fingers skating over the beading across her hips, and running her hands through her hair, she met her own emerald gaze; “Leave it to you to fall for a death spirit brought here to guide the Returned back to their graves, Zelda Spellman.” 

The absurdity of her current predicament hit Zelda and she couldn’t help but scoff and roll her eyes at herself, “And here I thought Hilda’s incubus was ridiculous.” 

Spinning on her heel, Zelda marched into Dorian’s, her eyes scanning the crowd and finding Mambo Marie seated in a quiet corner alone, her rich velvet robes cascading down her comely body and pooling at her feet. Butterflies fought for space within her belly, as Zelda made her way over to the voodoo Priestess, who looked up in that moment and lit up the room with her smile. Standing to meet Zelda, Marie grabbed her hands and pulled her close to kiss each cheek, “Zelda! Ca me plait beaucoup that you have decided to join me. Merci mon chérie."

Zelda gently pulled herself away from Marie and took a seat across from her, lighting a cigarette and fastening it into her holder, “I have some questions I would like answers to.”

“Mais, bien sur!” Marie settled in her chair and wrapped her slender fingers around her rum-filled tumbler. 

Taking a long drag of her cigarette and tilting her chin to blow it into a cloud above their heads, Zelda’s eyes pierced through her lovers, “Why did you deceive me?” 

“I knew that if I arrived on your doorstep and announced that I was a member of the Gede Loa, that it was likely I would be turned away. It was my responsibility to introduce the concept of your met tet to you and protect you in the In Between so that you could uncover the triple Goddess, Hecate. So you see, none of us could afford for me to be turned away at the door of the Academy.” Marie’s dark eyes implored Zelda to understand and she reached out, offering her hand. 

Zelda took another puff of her cigarette, narrowing her eyes as she listened to Marie’s reasoning, flicking ash over her shoulder in thought, “While that may be true, why did you continue the charade once the pagans were gone?”

“It is true that you would have been able to beat the pagans without me but I knew the Returned were on the horizon and that, mon amour, you cannot do without me. I couldn’t risk it. Can you tell me, without any doubt, you could have allowed me to stay once you knew the truth if we didn’t have this….history?” Marie raised a brow, a half smile lifting the corner of her lip, and her eyes twinkled as she leaned back and took a sip of her rum.

Noticing the layer of red peppers in the bottom of Marie’s glass, Zelda tilted her head and watched as the death deity took another sip and licked the heat from her lips, “Considering how I welcomed you when we met, you’re likely correct that I would not have extended that welcome once I found out the truth. It’s only that….” Frowning, Zelda trailed off, swallowing those words along with her nicotine. 

“Zelda. Pardonne moi. It is not my nature to care for mortals or witches alike. I am typically motivated by other...how do you say...interests. As I said last night, you have surprised me as much as you feel surprised by me. Let us spend the remainder of our time together appreciating one another in this moment. S’il vous plaît...forgive me?” Marie pushed her chair away from the table and moved to Zelda’s, reaching down to the witch. “I may be a deity in my own right Zelda, but I am not without my faults.” 

Searching Mambo Marie’s face, Zelda recognized the truth within those endless eyes. Neither of them could have predicted that they would end up here; Zelda could choose to let Marie’s deceit be yet another reason to remain closed against the world, she could let it support her belief that she is not worthy of love, or she could empathize with the reality of the choices Marie felt she had to make in those moments and acknowledge that they weren’t personal as she likely would have made similar ones. The last thing she wanted from this relationship was for the tender moments to be sullied and the time they had left to be ruined.

Taking Marie’s hand, Zelda stood and stepped into the voodoo Priestess’ space, “Everyone makes mistakes, Marie. I am through with the idea that that has anything to do with me. Clearly I wish you had been more forthcoming from the start but I can’t say I would have let you stay had you been truthful.” Putting out her cigarette, Zelda took both of Marie’s hands and pulled her close, “And I might not be here, if it weren’t for you. So yes, let us enjoy the moments we have left.”

“Shall we take champagne to my chambers to celebrate?” Marie’s eyes shone lasciviously as she tilted her head almost innocently.

“That sounds like a fine idea.” Zelda chuckled softly at the look in her lover’s eyes and guided her over to the bar, asking Dorian to have champagne delivered to Marie’s room before transporting both of them there where the champagne awaited them. 

Popping the champagne, Mambo Marie poured it into two crystal flutes and handed one to her redheaded lover, raising her glass in a toast; “To you, High Priestess of the Order of Hecate and Directrix of the Academy of Dark Arts! May you always feel as worthy of your success as those of us watching it know you are. You glow, Zelda Spellman, may you turn that radiance upon yourself and watch how brightly you can shine. A votre santé!"

Touched, Zelda clinked her glass to Marie’s and took a sip, reflecting on the fact that she had never allowed herself to be free from her own expectations and perfectionism. Her drive had so consumed her she’d neglected the small bit of humanity she deserved. This journey with Mambo Marie, though painful, had been her soul’s journey - the shadow work needed to fully come into her own. She knew, without a doubt, that though she would grieve the loss of a future with Marie, she was now more open to a future partnership with someone because of her. In the end, Marie would give Zelda the gift of returning her to herself. 

Marie shrugged out of her robe and tossed it on a nearby chair, her body hugged by a plum coloured velvet dress with a deep slit crawling up to mid-thigh, “I want to share something with you.” She motioned for Zelda to sit in front of the fire.

With a smile, Zelda took a seat, her emerald eyes roaming over Marie’s curves appreciatively. Taking a sip of her bubbly, the High Priestess sighed softly and relaxed into the moment, leaning back into her chair and kicking one leg over the other, she watched as Marie grabbed a thick wooden stick the length of her arm and positioned herself in the center of the room; “This is the sacred spirit of death dance. No one has ever seen me dance this banda before. This is only for you, ma cherie.” 

Zelda could hear the music in her mind as if it were a beloved song she’d heard a thousand times before, while the room was silent, the drums and voices sang within her, filling her with joy. She watched as Marie’s body undulated and twisted, her bare feet pounding out the rhythm on the floor as she used the stick to guide her upper body opposite of her lower half. Her hips rolled fluidly, mesmerizing the witch, and she began to move backwards, swinging her arms to push the movement. The bangles on Marie’s wrist added more percussion as they shimmied on her arm as quickly as the Voudouisant’s hips shimmied beneath her skirt. Her feet swung, bounced, and tapped in a dizzying rhythm and Zelda felt sweat pooling beneath her crimson mane at the base of her neck and slid sensuously down her back like a wet fingertip. Then Marie lifted her arms above her head, holding the stick aloft, and slowed her movements, her chest and hips rotating in different directions then popping in and out as if to reach out towards Zelda and pull back last minute. 

Swallowing hard, Zelda took a long sip of her cool champagne, the sensations of the bubbles popping in her mouth elevating her awareness of it tickling her tongue. Her eyes darkened with the passion emanating from her Gede Loa and she felt her thighs press together tightly as she straightened in her seat. Running her tongue across her lips, her eyes never leaving the frenzied dancer before her, Zelda waited until the dance was complete before abandoning her champagne, standing, and walking swiftly over to Marie. 

Without a word, Zelda grabbed Marie’s hips, her fingers crushing the velvet as they dug in and pulled the witch into her. Mouths met desperately as hands began to pull at fabric to reveal flesh. Dresses fell to the floor and feet stepped over them, stumbling in their hurry to find sanctuary somewhere softer. Bodies crashed onto the bed, pushing and pulling in a passionate flurry of naked limbs and gasping moans. As moans became fervent cries, the moon rose high in the sky and the Dark Mother smiled down on their union.

### To Be Continued?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can stop here or I can also write a sweeter parting of ways than we were given.  
> Comment below if you'd like more.
> 
> Maman Brigitte's Gede Banda: https://youtu.be/ym7TQKbqEnY


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is officially the end for this story. Thank you all for reading/sharing/commenting - the LGBTQ+ community doesn't need to accept harmful narratives that perpetuate and support queer trauma, we deserve happy endings too. 
> 
> Love to you all.  
> xo

Zelda awoke to a cold wet nose poking at the crook of her neck and Mambo Marie’s concerned face looking down at her from the side of the bed. Turning onto her back and pushing herself up on the pillows, Zelda gasped as a sweet beagle jumped into her arms and began to lick her face, “Why, it’s Vinegar Tom!”

Marie stood abruptly, yanking her robe tighter around her body as she began to pace back and forth. Looking up from her beloved pet, Zelda frowned and sat up straighter, “Marie, what is it?”

“It is time. The thinning between the fabric of life and death is upon us.” Marie’s eyes widened as her brow furrowed even more. After their night at the Academy of Unseen Arts, Zelda had invited Marie to the Spellman Mortuary to spend some evenings with her after Hilda had moved to Dr. Cee’s. This morning, wanting to surprise Zelda with breakfast in bed, Marie heard a scratch at the front door and had opened it to see Vinegar Tom on the porch. 

“Marie, what are you saying? Is it an Eldritch terror?” Zelda held Vinegar Tom close, inhaling deeply of his familiar scent as she buried her face in his fur.

“It is an Eldritch terror. The lemo are coming, les revenants, the resurrected dead.” With her hands on her hips, Marie continued to pace worriedly around the room.

“I’m sorry but are you saying that Vinegar Tom is an Eldritch terror?” Distressed, Zelda reached for her cigarettes.

“All the Returned are, and they must be faced and fought on multiple battlefields. They come to you and you must be careful, as the dead return they are not as they seem. They will not remember everything - they may not even know that they have perished. Do not upset them. The dead must be made to feel welcome. Or else...bad things will happen.” Marie rubbed the back of her hand against her forehead and paused, turning to look at Zelda somberly. 

Zelda felt Vinegar Tom wrestle out of her grasp and watched him bounce across the bed with a tiny yip, flopping down on his back and bearing his belly proudly. Stunned to think that her precious familiar was not quite himself, Zelda watched as Marie slowly sank onto the bed and took her hands, “And now I must go.”

“Go?! Go where?” Zelda gripped Marie’s hands tightly, not understanding.

“The dead have an avatar, one I must face, and alone.” Marie reached out and brushed errant tresses from Zelda’s face, caressing her cheek softly before cupping her chin tenderly, “Zelda, the Returned are why I am here. If I beat their avatar, I will fulfill my duty as loa and guide them back to their graves. The time has come, you must prepare yourself.”

Zelda blinked back the moisture blurring her vision and dipped her head to press a soft kiss to Marie’s hand, “I understand.” 

She watched as Marie dressed quickly and moved towards the door, “Wait!” Marie paused as Zelda kicked the covers off and hurried to Marie, taking the voodoo Priestess’ face in her hands, Zelda kissed her deeply. Pulling back, she met Marie’s gaze and a sense of finality passed between them, “I forgive you, Ma….man Brigitte. Go with my blessing.”

\---

Walking through the halls of the Academy, the Directrix heard a voice coming from the antechamber, “Hecate, give me the strength to do what must be done.” 

Rounding the corner Zelda came upon Lilith kneeling in front of the statue of the triple Goddess, the Spear of Longinus gripped in both hands, poised above her heart; “Lilith! What are you doing?”

“An atonement, sister Zelda. I am haunted by the dead.” Lilith’s face fell and the tears that had been welling in her eyes poured out onto her cheeks.

Recognizing the spear and coming to understand what Lilith was about to do, Zelda hurried to her side and covered the hands that gripped it, lowering it and herself to the ground next to the dark haired witch. As Lilith released the spear to Zelda’s hands and the High Priestess placed it out of reach at Hecate’s feet, the former demoness covered her face with her hands and began to sob. Zelda gently pulled Lilith into the safety of her warm embrace, holding her tightly through the waves of sorrow that wracked her small frame, and waited for the storm to pass. 

“What atonement, Lilith? What could you possibly have done to warrant using the Spear of Longinus?” Zelda’s fingers gently brushing through the dark locks, soothing the witch in her arms. 

“Adam….I….Zelda...I couldn’t bear the thought of Lucifer raising him...I had to do it!” The wail that left Lilith’s throat made Zelda’s heart ache and as she looked down she realized Lilith’s dress had splatters of blood on it. 

Her eyes filled with tears for the lost babe and his devastated mother and she gently rocked Lilith as she cried, “I’m so sorry Lilith. I was your midwife, I should have known you were struggling.” Aching to take Lilith’s hurt from her, the High Priestess pulled her closer, tucking the dark haired witch beneath her chin, holding her against her heart; “I’ve been so focused on the Eldritch terrors, even now Mambo Marie is squaring off with the terrors’ undead ally, Lazarus.”

Lilith sniffed and pulled back from Zelda, shuddering as she wiped her face clean, “Lazarus? The Resurrected Man is here? In Greendale?”

“He’s behind all of this and until Marie defeats him, the dead will keep coming back.” Zelda matched Lilith’s movements as they both stood to face each other. 

The redheaded witch reached out to smooth away the remnants of Lilith’s tears tenderly, looking into her haunted blue eyes. In that moment, Zelda realized how significant it had been to offer Lilith sanctuary, to help her birth her son, to take her pain, and to stand for her against the Kings of Hell. After all this time, she finally had nothing to fear by helping Lilith; with the Dark Mother supporting her and the coven, Zelda could finally trust that Lucifer was no longer a threat. As she watched Lilith’s eyes close in reaction to her touch, she reflected on their past and on the electricity that passed between them, as it always had.

Lilith’s voice trembled with emotion, “Do you know where the Resurrected Man is?” 

Watching as Lilith grabbed the Spear of Longinus, Zelda reached out, grabbed her wrist and pulled her close; “Are you planning on hurting yourself, Lilith?” 

“...I…” Lilith’s eyes widened as she met the High Priestess’ somber gaze.

Zelda cut her off quickly, “What I said during Adam’s birth still stands true. We, your sisters, are here for you. We will give you strength. We will share your pain.” Zelda took Lilith’s hand in both of hers, “You are no longer alone, Lilith. Hecate is the Mother of Witches and you are her First Daughter, you are welcome here. Here is where you belong.” 

Stunned, Lilith closed her eyes, Zelda’s words a balm on her tortured soul. Zelda’s hands tightened around the now mortal’s, “When once I was afraid, I am no longer. I see how every choice you’ve made has been to ensure your survival. I don’t need to trust you, Lilith, because you can trust us and in doing so, there will be no need for any of your former unpredictability.”

Zelda could see Lilith considering her words but she frowned, feeling like they weren’t quite expressing the delicate nuances of her feelings. Clearing her throat, she tried again, “I….am here for you. Please don’t do anything to endanger yourself.”

Lilith smiled, tilting her head as she considered Zelda’s words and the weight behind them, unable to speak around the emotions heavy in her throat, she patted Zelda’s hands, “I’ll be careful.”

Zelda watched Lilith saunter out of the antechamber then turned towards the triple Goddess, raising her hand to her heart, she closed her eyes and bowed her head; “Dark Mother, hear me. Give me the sight so that I may see, what it is you have bestowed upon me. By the power of three, so mote it be!”

The darkness behind her closed lids cracked and shattered, flooding the nothingness with bright white light. Focusing on moving her sight to her third eye, Zelda went deeper into herself and there she was offered a vision. Dice rolled across the empty graveyard of the Spellman Mortuary, setting the ground on fire as if inviting Hell to Earth - then nothing. Blinking her eyes open, Zelda frowned unsure of what her vision meant, but she thanked the Goddess nevertheless before turning on her heel and heading back to the Mortuary.

\---

“So you beat the Resurrected Man, then?” Zelda’s smile was stained with sadness as she met Maman Brigitte in the parlour of the Spellman Mortuary, knowing this night would be their last. Reaching out, she took Brigitte’s hands and held them fast.

Maman Brigitte met those shining emeralds with her own sorrow-filled gaze and a nod, “Oui, cherie, and now that the great confusion between life and death has been resolved, it is time for me to return to the Underworld. At the Witching Hour, I will go to the cemetery and call the dead to me, and then we shall depart.”

Zelda felt her heart squeeze as she nodded and Brigitte continued, “But when it is your turn to leave this life and enter the next, I will be there. And every year, on Samhain, when the veil between our worlds is thinnest, I will be able to join you and we can celebrate Sabrina’s birthday….and….many other things.” Brigitte’s cheeky grin encouraged a smile out of Zelda, “Only if I am welcome, of course.”

“Yes, I think that would be…” Zelda matched Brigitte’s brazen grin as she pulled her lover forward for a soft kiss to mirror their very first, “...agreeable.” 

Maman Brigitte smiled and reached into her robe, pulling out a small box and holding it out to Zelda, a pair of dice rattling inside, “Or... if you shall need me before that, shake this and I will hear it, and I will come to you. I will always come, mon amour.” 

“Charming to the last.” Zelda smiled softly and took the dice, “It will be an exercise in self-restraint not to shake these every night, you wicked woman.”

When Brigitte kissed her, Zelda could taste the sting of hot peppers on her tongue with the lingering hint of spiced rum; “I must go, but first…” 

Zelda followed the Voudoisant’s gaze as she turned towards the doorway and watched as Lilith walked in, the bloodied Spear of Longinus clutched in her hand. Maman Brigitte held out her hand and motioned Lilith nearer, “...Lilith was crucial to my success with the Resurrected Man and for that, I told her she would be granted a boon. It is not the boon she seeks but it is une vérité that will lead to a most wondrous life.” 

The voodoo Priestess spoke, her graceful hands spreading between the pair, reaching for Zelda’s and Lilith’s hands; “A boon is not only a favour but a blessing. Tonight I invite you both to look within, to see what is in your hearts...your souls...for you two are a blessing to one another.” 

Brigitte addressed her former lover, “Zelda, cherie, I have been a mirror offering you the truth of your worth, but I am not your soulmate. I am merely a tool, peut être une clé, which has unlocked the door you had so firmly shut. But when you walk through it, it is not I on the other side.” 

Turning to Lilith, Brigitte smiled, “You trust no one, this is clear. I am here to give you that boon - the truth. You can release your past, Lilith, and you can dream of a better future, here, with your soulmate. Trust and believe in Zelda for this union has been written in the stars and who are we to deny the cosmos?” 

Zelda felt cracked open, the truth of those words chipping away at centuries of uncertainty and self-doubt. Her hands shook as she looked from Brigitte to Lilith and reached out for the First Woman’s hand. Dropping the spear, Lilith slid her hand into Zelda’s and the three witches stood joined in a completed circle. Where once she had no one, Zelda was now encircled in a new future with fleeting visits from a death deity and the more constant presence of her….soulmate. Zelda felt the truth of Brigitte’s reveal and she turned to Lilith as the Gede loa squeezed their hands and left them to go gather the Dead.

“I have always been so unsure of you, Lilith - the wildcard. But I tire of living the same predictable life, I tire of making the same safe choices....” Zelda felt her breath catch in her throat at how honest those words were, stripping her raw with the acknowledgement that in keeping herself safe by locking her heart away she had almost caused herself harm by passing up the one person she was destined for.

Lilith was humbled and overwhelmed, she hung onto Zelda’s hand like liferaft, “I must confess, this feels….right...but I have to warn you, I’m not really sure what love is. Perhaps we could teach each other?” 

Such an innocent question but it made Zelda’s heart swell, “You know, I believe we very well could. It is written in the stars, after all...”

The pair walked out of the parlour and onto the porch, watching as Maman Brigitte shook her dice and called the Dead back to her. Zelda watched as the dead disappeared one by one until only the Gede loa stood among the graves. The redheaded witch watched as Brigitte walked to her one last time, Vinegar Tom in her arms. With a soft gasp, Zelda reached out for the beagle and Brigitte gently delivered him to her arms, a final gift, pausing to brush a tender kiss across Zelda’s lips. 

“A la prochaine, ma chère." Then she grasped Lilith’s face and pressed a soft kiss to her brow. “Take good care of each other.”

Lilith took a protective step closer to Zelda as if to affirm that she did intend to do just that and Brigitte smiled and turned back to the cemetery. As Vinegar Tom busied himself trying to lick Lilith’s nose, Zelda watched her death deity wander gracefully among the graves and disappear leaving nothing but mist behind. Burying her face in her familiar’s neck, Zelda sent a prayer of thanks to the Gede for bringing Brigitte to her door. She felt Lilith’s arms around her and she sank into them gratefully, allowing the former demoness to support and guide her back into the house, passing through the doorway into a bright new future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MADAME SPELLMAN ENDGAME 
> 
> #sorrynotsorry guys, I had to do it. My very first fic was Madame Spellman and Mambo Marie so it seems fitting that I got back here somehow. Can't blame me for having my cake and eating it too. ;) Damn straight Zelda will get Lilith on the daily AND Marie/Brigitte at random and on Samhain. Why not? It's 2021 - and after 2020, we should have whatever we want!
> 
> So what do you think? Did I do Zarie justice while still sending her back to the Underworld and pandering to my own MS fantasies? Or did you have a different idea in mind?

**Author's Note:**

> More info about Maman Brigitte:
> 
> https://www.meta-religion.com/World_Religions/Voodoo/ancestors.htm  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maman_Brigitte  
> https://www.learnreligions.com/maman-brigitte-4771715


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